All about the music
by camimardock
Summary: Edward is a famous musician with a long and successful career that led him to become one of the coaches of the TV show The Voice. Bella is a promising artists with a lot to prove to herself. In a place where all is meant to be about the music, will they be able to harmonize together?
1. The blind auditions 1

**Hi people! So... this story began because I've been reading fanfiction since forever and was looking for something like this to read but never actually found it. I wasn't sure of starting a fic by myself though because english is not my native language and I know how akward it sounds to me when people make the characters speak in spanish. Now it's the best time for me though to try my hand with something like this. I have time and some kind of clear outline of where I want the story to go. However, because this project began first and foremost as something I wanted to read I honestly am open to any and every suggestion you could all make as well as any native speaker beta or just a kind reader that could point out the akward lines that don't feel right to you. That being said, I hope you really enjoy this story./span/strong/p**  
 **This is some kind of crossover between Twilight and the TV show The Voice. Honestly, I was inspired by the latter and you will probably feel it throughout the whole story, but I've never actually seen it but for those clips available on Youtube, so it won't be accurate to the exact format of the program. Everything but the characters and the show come from my own craziness. The rest is up to The Voice and Stephanie Meyer.**  
 **See you at the bottom :)**

EPOV

When Jessica, the girl in charge of my makeup and hair, left my dressing room the morning of the sixth day of the blind auditions, it was around 10 am. By that time my body was in strong need of another dose of coffee or it would definitely shut down during the long day ahead. Honestly, it wasn't that early, but the repetitive rhythm of the recordings during this first phase, throughout a whole week, made it downright drowsing. That's why I needed my stimulants, a.k.a. coffee. I know that it doesn't sound very rock star of me, but hardcore stardom is something that I left behind in my early twenties, when everything in Hollywood was new and shiny. Even then, I wasn't your typical party boy… more like I happened to enjoy life and freedom as it came, hanging out with my mates from my band Volterra, meeting new and interesting people all the time and traveling a lot. So, coffee at 10 am was my regular poison of choice and I didn't need anything harder than that.

Even despite the routine of repetitive bantering with my fellow coaches every year, having to be on "showtime mode" for so long, pitching my team to the contestants, hearing one audition through another, for days, sometimes more than once if the guy/girl was seriously nervous, etc., I really loved being part of the show. This was my tenth season on The Voice US and it had become a huge part of what I did.

The opportunity fell on me when the producers first started designing the show and I fell in love with the premise. In an industry like ours, where the market value of a pretty young face and a very well done post-production process is well known, it was a rare twist to turn back to the music. I know this first hand. Not to be conceited or anything, but for a long time the marketing and positioning of our band _Volterra_ was sustained by my looks as the vocalist: green eyes, wild hair, tattooed arms and body, masculine face, the whole deal. My mates used to give me crap about it all the time. Our music was good and I was really proud of it, but we also struggled harshly with some of the restrains imposed to us by our record company, WMG, on how we were supposed to portray ourselves and sound. That's why we created our own label a while back and started producing our own music and developing new artists. Also, me and the guys wanted to start slowing down a bit because we weren't twenty anymore. I turned 39 on June and some of them were starting families or other projects at the time. It has been 16 years now since our first single raised to the top of the US charts and five since I started the show. I remember getting excited at the beginning by a fun and new project to do but it has become so much more now. I never knew how energized I would feel by teaching so many talented people, even when most of them don't really make it in the business. I had always heard that quote that said that "those who can't, teach" or something but, honestly, I feel like I'm a much better musician now _because_ I'm also a teacher.

Anyway, so that's how I became a stable face on the show besides my friend Jasper Whitlock. Jasper is 42 now and has a long-standing career as a country singer that led him to settle down on the show with me as well. He's also the most chill guy that I've ever met, and all these years working together has brought us really close. The other seasoned coach in the show is Hale, though she's only been doing The Voice US for two years, having started on the UK. Rosalie is downright one, if not the best, vocalist of our generation. Classic bombshell, she's known as the shark of the pop and R&B industry, having made the top charts of the Billboard's with most of her songs throughout the years. The thing with Hale tough is that people love her or hate her passionately, with no in-betweens. If it wasn't for her dramatic and public life that constantly feeds people's stereotypes about her, there would be no doubt about how good of a singer she really is. But apparently, she's had one to many advertised brake ups and that invites everyone to have a stronger opinion about her character than her music. Society has never had mercy on women anywhere, that's just a fact.

A knock on the door interrupts my musings and I turn to watch Angie, my assistant, struggling to walk in carrying my salvation in one of her hands and the itinerary for the day on the other. I hurry up to help her with the door while she starts placing everything on the table.

"Hey Ed, thanks!" she told me with a relieved smile. "Here is your latte with three shots and I also brought you a sandwich…" I don't even let her finish her sentence before I'm hurrying to take the cup from her hands and inhaling the bitter scent of delicious coffee. She shakes her head at me but keeps speaking "We start recording in 30 minutes, so I really _really_ need you to finish changing now and hurry up. You should've been ready by now".

"Sorry Ange, I'm almost ready" I tell her while picking up the ripped black jeans and shirt the people from costume design had placed on the closet. "I really needed my coffee first though. Don't know how I ever survived before you came into my life" I tell her with a grin and a dramatic sigh.

"With another assistant, that's how" she said, rising her eyebrow skeptically.

"You can't compare yourself to Mike!" I tell her with mock horror. Mike was my assistant when the show first started, and he wasn't very bright if I'm being honest. Since then I always use him to try and make Angela laugh. We have made it into a game, actually.

"That kid… did I tell you about that time when I found him stealing my boxers and he confessed to wanting to sell them on Ebay? He was a rat. You would never do that to me, Angie, would you?" I smile to her innocently.

She snorted loudly, "You're so full of shit Ed, that's story is definitely crap" she waited for me to confirm it and when I pouted she beamed at me. "I knew it! I don't know if I know you too well by now or it's just that you really have lost your creativity over the years. Anyway, give that kid a break" she tells me while I finish putting on my black converse. "Besides, Ben and I were planning on taking an extended vacation to Hawaii on the off season, and we could always use some extra funding. You know they don't pay me enough to put up with you. I wouldn't be so sure about the safety of your underwear".

"Love you too, Angie" I said with a small smile, while rolling up the sleeves of a similar white shirt to the one I've been wearing since the first day of shootings. A continuity thing for the editing crew that is much simpler for me than the rest of the coaches, with all the accessories and details of their wardrobe.

"Sure thing, Ed. Now let's go" she said, while waiting for me at the door of the dressing room. I took a huge bite of my sandwich but decided to leave it at the minifridge for later, and started to walk through the hallways with my coffee in hand and Angie behind me. When I entered the stage, I was received with a loud cheering from the audience, so I waved to them saying a cheerful good morning to everyone before taking my seat at the far end of the row of red couches. Jasper and Hale were already there, and we were only waiting for Tanya, the new addition to the show this season.

Suddenly a huge roar resounded through the studio and I knew she had walked in. I turned to see her, and there she was. Confident, proud and waving to everyone with both hands and a flirty smile while walking with her tremendous red stilettos to the empty chair besides me. She was wearing a skin-tight dress with some weird black and white pattern and a spikey blond pixie cut with red colored endings. I couldn't help but smile fondly to her when she threw herself like a heavy bag to the seat.

"You shouldn't have chosen those heels if you aren't comfortable wearing them for a week" I said to her with a smirk while some crew members started putting and adjusting the mics on both of us. Angela left the stage in a hurry, probably wanting to catch Ben, her husband and host of the show, before we started.

"Oh, shut up!" she replied with a huge smile. "I never thought it would be this awful when we're seated most of the time on these things. And I had to make some kind of effort to appear regularly on a TV show for the first time".

"You should've warned me" she said, turning to Hale at her other side. Rosalie was also wearing high heels but looked far more comfortable on them. While both of them were blondes, there is where the physical similarities ended with them. Tanya's hair was bottled-white and short while Hale had more of a golden color whit long and big curls falling down her back. She had also a very classic and conservative look to her outfit while Tanya was more eccentric and spunky. Tanya had green eyes while Rose had deep blue ones and the latter was always perfectly dressed while Tanya typically wears heels only to red carpet events, usually preferring combat boots or sneakers. Also, people loved Tanya… Rose, not so much.

"Honey, I dance on heels for a living" Hale replied with a quiet laugh, while turning to finish her conversation with Jasper.

"Show off" Tanya whispered to me and we both started laughing. I hadn't told her, and I probably wouldn't either, but I had missed her terribly during the last year. With her schedule as a DJ, songwriter and producer taking her all over the world constantly, we hadn't seen much of each other besides the holidays. I was thrilled when she called to tell me about a secret project that would bring her to L.A. for a long period of time. Not so thrilled when I found out what the project specifically was, but I could understand the entertainment value of putting us both together on this and signed down on it anyway.

Once the mics were turned on and we were done with the sound check everything was set to start the last recording for the blind auditions. We had already done the opening show on the very first day, so we only needed to finish selecting people for our teams. Each one of us had around two to three people left to choose, and we were expecting about 40 contestants today. Fuck if it wasn't going to feel endless.

That's when Benjamin Cheney, Angela's husband, entered the stage to start with all of our presentations and cheering the crowd. His work today was mainly backstage with the families, but it was up to him to kickstart the recording. Once he was done, the lights over the audience turned down and we had to wait a couple of minutes for the first contestant to come upstage. I really hoped this wouldn't take so long and that something new came along this year. It's hard, with so many good artists, to find someone truly special and it's also very easy to miss your chance at getting them when you're not paying close attention. But I had a really good feeling about today and if I played my cards right I was hoping to beat my sister to the ground with my team. We've been competing against each other since we were both conceived. She beat me out of the womb by 17 minutes and since then it was game on.

"Are you ready to lose this season to the newbie, little twin?" the voice at my right said with a smirk, making the audience laugh.

"You're so going to be publicly humiliated, Tanya. I will never let you live this down and you know it. Mom will finally have to admit that I'm the better child" I joked back.

"Oh god, have mercy on us" complained Jasper with a dramatic sigh. "Nobody told me I was dealing with two Masens. Double the pain in my ass".

Suddenly, all the lights on the studio but the ones behind us went down and silence settled between all of us. That's when we knew someone had just walked in. There was an electric buzz in the air and we were all expectant to the first sound of whatever instrument was going to start. Would it be pop, grunge, indie music or maybe something in Spanish or another foreign language? I really hoped it was something good. Having to turn people's dreams down was the worst feeling in the world.

When I heard the beginning notes of Come Together by The Beatles being played by an amazing electric bass and drums I finally relaxed, remembering why I fuckin love my job so much.

 **SO, what do you think? Did you expect Tanya to be Edward's sister?**  
 **Did you like Edward at all?**  
 **When do you think we'll be hearing from Bella?**  
 **I would love to hear from you!**


	2. The blind auditions 2

**Hey guys! So, I was very happy with your first impressions :) I'm also happy that you liked Tanya. I believe that it says a lot about the way we treat other women and how we think of our gender when we tend to write so often these empty, shallow and mean girls that try to steal our men away or something. I hope to never write those characters, honestly, or treat other girls under that lens. That being said, I really enjoyed writing this chapter! I will be receiving song suggestions throughout the fic for the characters. They will all have their own styles and I hope to put them together, mix things up and everything. If you want to hear one of the characters sing or battle to a specific song just comment and I'll be sure to try and include it. I would really like this to come from our collective ideas. See you at the bottom!**

 _When I heard the beginning notes of Come Together by The Beatles being played by an amazing electric bass and drums I finally relaxed, remembering why I fuckin love my job so much._

 **The blind auditions**

EPOV

We were already down 25 people and had just about the other half to go. There had been some pretty good artists between the first bunch, but I hadn't been able to get anyone on my team yet. I'd been very interested on a boy called Seth. He was young, around 16 years old if I remember correctly, and surprised us all by singing a powerful rendition of Complicated by Avril Lavigne, which no one was expecting. I really fought for it. Not only was he really amazing and unique but he was also a little bit shy when we were asking questions, making his performance even more outstanding. He ended up choosing my sister as his coach though, and she didn't shy away of letting me know about it. Not even a little bit.

 _Whatever_ , I thought while rolling my eyes. She had already filled her team. _Amateur_.

Now we were returning from a mid-day break and beginning the second half. I had two spots to fill and needed to be quick about it. Jasper had three spots left on his team when we started and had snatched himself a nice pop singer called James today, with a very strong stage presence because of his background touring with a group. Hale had two spots remaining, having won over Jasper with her pitch to a very sweet country singer called Emily. By this point we all were getting a little bit nervous and tired. Hopefully something refreshing was going to come out.

When the lights went down and the strong beats of Perm by Bruno Mars started we all settled down. I really enjoy funky music but you can't truly pull it off only with your voice. You _need_ the swag for it. You can fake it, sure, but it won't sound as hypnotic as it should, so it's a really tight rope to walk on. Specially this song.

"Hey, hey, hey! Come on, The Voice, come on!" a male voice started cheering the crowd energetically, and the audience started going crazy. I looked at my right and all of the other coaches had a huge smile on their faces. I sure hope this was going to be good.

"Now I know you didn't get your hair done so you could just sit down and just sit still!" he followed, starting with the actual lyrics but still cheering the crowd. "We tryna have a good time tonight, let's go over here!"

"It's my birthday tonight! Well, no it's not" he sang the first verse putting his own twist and, like a wave, first Jasper, then Hale and lastly me pushed our buttons, turning around to see this giant goof having the time of his life on stage.

"OH, HELL NO!" yelled Tanya pushing her button repeatedly too. "You're not leaving me here!".

"But I still look good though" he sang. "High comb hot!"  
"I bet you want an autograph for you and your friends  
Gotta do it in the penthouse, that's where I keep my pen" he followed.

The guy was the huge and muscular type. Around 6 ft. 6 or something with curly short hair and dimples. Women were loving this. I was loving this. He continued singing without faltering even though he was dancing very heavily, moving across all of the stage and doing some weird footwork.

 _What you can't dance, ain't got rhythm?  
What you got a man? I don't see you with him  
Put your phone down, let's get it  
Forget your Instagram and your Twitter  
Got me like woah, wait a minute  
You need to take a minute  
Loosen them shoulders up  
Pour it up, let's work_

Suddenly he walked down the stage and directly to us, taking Rosalie's hand and bringing her to the stage. She was shocked but went happily and we were all laughing our asses off when he started singing the next lines.

 _Throw some perm on your attitude  
Girl, you gotta relax (ooh)  
Let me show you what you got to do  
You gotta lay it back  
Matter of fact, band, show her how to lay it back!_

He sang pointing to Rose and started dancing around her. Singing the rest of the song while Rose moved her hips and fooled around. Jasper was smirking, and I stood quickly over the couch to dance as well.

 _Come on baby, I love you  
(No you don't)  
You never know, I might though  
Can't say I won't, ah!  
There's that smile I'm looking for  
Was that so hard?  
If you ever need to smile again girl, take my card_

The boy then kissed Rose hand, leading her back to her seat while starting to wind down the song.

 _Hey, now you got it baby!  
You tryna have some fun tonight, you just gotta follow these simple instructions, you ready?_

 _You need to activate your sexy  
Silky, smooth and snap (silky, smooth and snap)  
Now lean with it, throw a lil' sheen in it  
Then pat, pat, pat 'til it's flat  
I'll sing it again  
Throw some perm on your attitude  
Girl, you gotta relax (Ooh)  
Ooh, let me show you what you got to do  
You gotta lay it back  
Matter of fact, band, show her how to lay it back!  
Show her how to lay it back  
Show her how to lay it back, now  
Ow, show her how to lay it back right now  
Alright!_

By the end of the song the boy had proved that he wasn't just a good showman, but that he could also sing. He reached every high note though he could train on improving the ease and control of his range. Even despite that, the crowd was ecstatic and we all gave him and standing ovation which he was eating up with a huge smile. When silence settled again, Tanya took the lead of the pitching right away,

"I'm SO angry right now, you can't even imagine!" she whined. "Honey, you're delicious! and I really want you in my team but I'm at full capacity at the moment. However…" she said with a smirk right to Rosalie "I know _someone_ who would definitely like to coach you".

Rosalie threw a smirk right back to her, turning towards the boy who seemed like an energized bunny. "What's your name?"

"I'm Emmett McCarty and I'm from Atlanta, Georgia".

"Emmett McCarty from Atlanta, Georgia. What is it that you do?" followed Hale.

"Well, I'm a personal trainer but I do volunteer with a small theatre company on the stage crew. Sometimes I even audition and play smaller roles. I really like performing so that's why I came here".

"Well I should certainly tell you that you have no business playing small roles anywhere, Emmett" intervened Jasper confidently. "If nothing else, you're definitely a performer and I really think we could work together on getting you even further should you pick me as your coach".

"But if you pick ME as your coach" I cut Jasper right away, "you would get real experience as a big performer" I replied playfully. "Not to say that Jasper isn't big and all but, man, we are talking rock star level here. Combining all of the things you already have, your style, your dance moves, your voice, and improving them to be able to command the stage and the crowd. That's what me and my band do for a living. You've got all the raw material to be the next Bruno Mars or something even better, and I could accompany you through that process if you choose me. Pleeeease choose me?" I begged at the end for comedic effect, making everyone laugh.

"He is lying to you, Emmett" cut in Rosalie with a smile. "Level with me honey, do you want to be the next Bruno Mars?".

"Eh…" Emmett hesitated.

"Let me be honest here for a second… the answer from you should be a HELL NO, immediately. You don't want to be the next Bruno Mars nor the next Edward Masen. You want to be Emmett McCarty" Rose ranted passionately. "I know what is like to be a huge performer like Ed here, but I also know what it takes to be a solo artist and make it something big and unique. You're already both of those things, but you could also gain a lot from training your voice to be able to expand but also contain your energy. That's what it takes to become a real artist and I know you already have it in yourself, not here on the Edward Masen formula for success".

"Hey!" I jumped in acting offended. "The Masen formula for success has led me pretty far the last ten seasons, let me tell you. Four winners! Four!".

"But now that we got the better Masen on the show you're old school pal" replied Hale laughing. "So, you should definitely pick me, Emmett".

"And what am I here? Chopped liver?" hurried Jasper. "Emmett, honestly, you should go with what your instincts are telling you, that will always guide you far in this industry… even farther if they're choosing me though".

"So, what's gonna be Emmett. Who do you choose?" asked Tanya, while an expectant silence settled on the audience.

"Oh, man… I always hate when people say this part is hard but, _man_ , it's _really hard._ I like all of you guys, you're all great…mmm. Oh, shit man. Shit, sorry, I shouldn't curse. Oh, god" he exclaimed while covering his eyes. We were all laughing hysterically by now waiting for him to choose someone. "Ok. I think I'm ready. No, I know I'm ready… I'm… yeah, I'm definitely team Rosalie" announced Emmett and Hale stood up quickly to go and give him a huge hug on the stage. At the same time Tanya was shouting "go get him, girl!" and we were all clapping loudly for them. They talked a little bit but the mic couldn't pick up on what Emmet was saying and she walked him down the stage, returning to her sit afterwards.

"Well, that was fun" said a cheerful Rose. "Sorry, Masen".

"Yeah, sure. Sorry, Masen. Whatever" I replied glumly. "Don't worry though, the next star will be mine".

"I'll leave you my leftovers to pick from, no problem".

We chatted for a little bit while they finished interviewing Emmett and his family or whoever was accompanying him today. After they were over we only had to wait for about ten minutes for the lights to turn down again and the electric buzz of a new artist coming up the stage to expand throughout the audience.

Suddenly, the beat of a slow drum being played, and the sensual notes of an electrical guitar resounded through the place. The sound was heavy, matching the pulse of everyone that was listening in a way so different than the one Emmett had just tried, but similarly effective. When a smoky voice sang the first verse of the song I felt every hair on my body stand on end, itching trough my arms and the back of my neck and making me close my eyes involuntarily.

 _I wasn't jealous before we met_ _  
_ _Now every woman I see is a potential threat_

"Oh, she's good" said Rose quietly.

"What song is it?" asked Tanya in the same voice.

"Something from Abba, believe it or not" she replied.

 _And I'm possessive, it isn't nice_ _  
_ _You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice_

Her voice was quite at the beginning, matching the slow pace of a crescendo that promised something strong and powerful. As her voice started to rise I felt my knee bouncing, anxiously hurrying the beat of the drum that was marking the pace of her song. I still hadn't open my eyes, but I didn't need to. This girl, whoever she was, was more than good. You could feel it deep in your skin, even in your bones.

 _But now it isn't true_ _  
_ _Now everything is new_ _  
_ _And all I've learned has overturned_ _  
_ _I beg of you_

Rose was the first to push her button. I opened my eyes just to see her turn and appreciate the peaceful smile that lit her face. I expected the girl to push it with the chorus and start showing off her range or how powerful she could sound immediately, but I was wrong. Instead, she slowed down. She became so quite while still in perfect control of her voice. The song turned intimate right away, expressing such a soul it was incredible.

 _Don't go wasting your emotion_ _  
_ _Lay all your love on me_

And then it came. Her voice all out singing passionately, begging for a love that we could all desire as much as her.

 _I love it_ , said Tanya to me, mouthing the words in silence.

Both Jasper and her turned their sits immediately, with a huge support from the crowd that was cheering loudly.

 _Don't go sharing your devotion_ _  
_ _Lay all your love on me_

When her song ended I hurried to push my button as well. I was so moved that I had honestly forgotten about it. In just a few lines that girl had destroyed everyone else that had auditioned this season, at least for me. I really wanted her in my team. I needed her in my team. I was hooked.

And that's when I saw her.

 **So, what do you think of this so far?**

 **This last song is called Lay or your love on me and it was some kind of tribute to Cody Frost's audition in The Voice UK. Youtube, people. Look it up.**

 **Love,**

 **C.**


	3. The Girl

**Hello everyone and happy holidays! I hope that you are enjoying the celebrations :) sorry for the delay in posting but it was a busy week. Last minute gifts, Christmas and all of that. Now I'm back and I'm hoping to be able to post weekly, if everything goes as planned. See you at the bottom!**

 _When her song ended I hurried to push my button as well. I was so moved that I had honestly forgotten about it. In just a few lines that girl had destroyed everyone else that had auditioned this season, at least for me. I really wanted her in my team. I needed her in my team. I was hooked._

 _And that's when I saw her._

 **The Girl**

EPOV

She absolutely was _not_ the person I was expecting.

With the arranging of the song, bursting of grunge, creativity and uniqueness I was fully expecting an alternative chic. Some weird hair color, full sleeve tattoo or the craziest outfit out there, not this non-descript looking girl. Don't take me wrong, I'm not saying she was ugly or something. Quite the opposite. She was cute, for sure. Around 5 ft 4, with long wavy brown hair, a sweet smile and… well, with those tight jeans I could really appreciate her amazing hips, if I'm being honest.

What. I was still a man. I could look.

But she seemed like your average girl. A little young, on her early twenties perhaps, and wearing a simple red tank top that showed off her nice body in an understated way. In a city like LA, she would have gone unnoticed.

Her voice, though, couldn't have. She was reallygood _._

Inexplicably, I felt so thrown off by her appearance that I was startled awake when the voice of my sister broke the silence that settled after the round of applause.

"Well, hello there!" she shouted enthusiastically while smiling to the girl. "What's your name?".

"My name is Isabella Swan and I'm originally from a small town called Forks, near Seattle" the girl replied with confidence. Even tough she looked young there was something in her posture that showed maturity, like she was used to exposing herself constantly to other people. Her voice was controlled and I couldn't tell if she was nervous or not.

"Well Isabella, what is it that you do there?" fired back Tanya.

A sweet smile grew on the girl's face then, softening her posture. "I've been teaching music to high school kids for a couple of years now and I also teach elementary students at a community center in Seattle" she replied. "Though high school kids are my favorite, believe it or not" she chuckled.

"Seriously?!" Tanya asked skeptically. "I remember my twin and I being little shits all the time in high school".

"Well… if you build a good relationship with them, things tend to stay peaceful even when they are annoying you to death" she replied with a smirk on her face.

"That's probably because half of the guys are in love with you" pointed out Jasper.

"I don't get it" he complained loudly to me. "Now there are always pictures of hot teachers coming up on social media, but all of my teachers were grumpy old cats" he said with a scowl on his face.

"Well, anyone trying to teach _you_ must have gone prematurely grey!" Rose snickered.

"Anyway…" cut in Tanya. "I know that your kids probably love you for more than just your looks" she said, gaining a grateful smile from the girl.

"I was honestly blown away by your performance tonight. The arrange you made…. The twist you put on such a classic of the 70's… it was perfect. It was fresh, smart, creative and it sounded so different that I couldn't recognize the song at first" she said seriously. "And _that_ is why your kids probably love you. I would have also loved to have a music teacher like you while in school" she finished with a charming smile, making the crowd support her words loudly.

"Tanya's right" added Hale. "This show isn't about how you look… it's about the quality of the music and how well you can communicate it. Being a young teacher, you probably know the assumptions kids can make if you're pretty" she said with an empathetic smile, and Isabella nodded right back at her. "And I, as a female artist, do understand what is like to beat that kind of expectations to be able to become and be recognized as a good musician first and foremost. I really think I can help you get there and feel comfortable as an artist" another loud cheer blew up from some people in the crowd.

"Oh, they're doing it again!" shouted Jasper. "Come on Masen, help me out here! They're doing the female solidarity thing. Listen Bella…" he started while moving to the edge of his seat. "Can I call you Bella, right?" asked Jasper.

"Sure Jasper, my friends call me Bella" she replied sweetly.

"Well, did you hear that?!" he asked loudly to the audience and the rest of us, gaining an eye roll from Hale. "Her friends call her Bella. That's was a connection, right there!" he added enthusiastically, a huge smile crossing his face and rising his arms to the crowd. "We are friends now, Bella and I… Anyway… all joking aside, let me tell you this. I may not be a woman in this industry, but I know that music isn't about that. There are a lot of things that matter more, like experience and hard work, and I've been working hard here for a long long time now" he let his words sink with her, crossing his arms over his chest in a show of force.

"You are a teacher. You know how important it is to have a good mentor. And in the end, this is all about what _your_ needs are to really grow as an artist. Sometimes the worst you can do is make the obvious choice" he finished.

"And the obvious choice is me?" asked Hale with a raised brow.

The girl was listening intently to Jasper and Hale banter, and I suddenly realized how fucking silent I'd been through all of this. If I didn't start opening my mouth and saying something quickly, I was going to lose my shot of getting her in my team. _What was happening with me?_ I really liked the girl and she was the best audition I'd heard so far. Smart, creative, controlled but also emotional and honest. She kept me focused on the music from the start and I had slacked in the other aspects of this game. I needed to step up, and do it fast.

I cleared my throat to silence the other coaches.

"So, Bella… Jasper made you a question but he didn't let you answer it, obviously" I started, with a smirk directed at my friend. Bella looked surprised that I was speaking to her. Did she think I wasn't interested because I pushed my button last? I needed to change her impression and get her in my team, quickly.

"So, what do you need?" I asked her.

She looked even more confused now, with a cute little frown on her forehead. "What? What do you mean?".

"Well…" I started, preparing myself to show her that I'd been paying attention even though I'd been quiet. "It's just that… everyone is talking about how good they are and how they can help you become a great musician, but you already are a great musician. That was obvious right from the start. I could have just turned my chair with the first verse of your song, but I wanted to really listen to it. I got the chance to lose myself in the emotion you were showing, which was like nothing I'd heard before" I told her, winning an appreciative smile from her lips.

"And, well… you're also a teacher, so I imagine you're aware of yourself and what you need to get even better. So… what do you need, Bella? What are you looking for in a coach?" I asked her seriously.

She was staring intently at me, with a gleam of something in her eyes. I hadn't realized how dark they were, but they looked almost black. Like really dark coffee. I knew that I'd put her on the spot with my question, but it had to be done. She hadn't said enough about what she wanted to do, and this needed to be about her, not anyone else.

However, instead of just answering what I asked she fired back another question, with a slow smile sneaking from the corner of her mouth. "What kind of coach are you Edward?", she said playfully.

 _What?_ I thought, a little dumbfounded.

I didn't know what to answer. Why was she turning this on me instead of just answering the damn question? I stared back at her and knew this was some kind of test. What did she want to hear me say? I could use my go-to speech about her being unique and that I wanted to be the one that could help her accomplish her own goals and her own style, but I wasn't quite sure that it would go well with the girl. She was smart, so I knew she'll smell bullshit with a line like that.

 _Why was she here, anyway?_ Was she some kind of frustrated musician? Did she choose teaching as a safe net and now wanted to try making it for real? …although she looked like she enjoyed teaching. _What was it then? What was she looking for in a coach?_

And suddenly, a little light bulb turned on in my brain, and inkling of an idea that made me jump from my sit immediately.

"Let's try a little something here" I told her while climbing up the stage. She looked startled and a little wary, but I didn't stop to think about it. I needed to prove a point to myself, so I took another mic from the crew and turned directly to her. Up close I realized she wasn't just cute, she looked actually beautiful, with a touch of freckles that spotted her cheeks and nose. Now I wanted her in my team even more, just fucking because. She would definitely be something nice to look at during the season.

"Feel free to enter whenever you want to" I told her out of nowhere. Her eyes grew wide, looking alarmed for the first time.

"What are we doing?" her voice trembled, so I rushed to take her hand and squeeze it slightly to reassure her. She didn't need to be nervous.

"Don't worry, there's no pressure. We're just singing" I replied with my most charming smile and let go of her hand while turning to the audience. I glanced briefly to my sister and saw her covering her mouth with a slight frown to her face, but didn't linger on it.

Then, I started singing her song. The one she auditioned with. However, I did it with the exact same melody and cadence Bella had chosen to sing it herself. I was putting her again on an uncomfortable position, forcing her to change the way she had practiced the song to try and harmonize with me on the spot. It was a dick move to play on TV, but I truly believed she could do it. It also wouldn't hurt to prove my point about her, and about me as well.

 _I wasn't jealous before we met_ _  
_ _Now every man I see is a potential threat_

I nodded to her for encouragement and she squared her shoulders to enter in the last verse, adapting her voice entirely to mine, going low when I was getting high on the notes and vice versa. Stepping up the pace when I pushed for it, doing exactly what I hopped she would, without explicit direction.

 _And I'm possessive, it isn't nice_ _  
_ _You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice_

 _But now it isn't true_ _  
_ _Now everything is new_ _  
_ _And all I've learned has overturned_ _  
_ _I beg of you_

We only did the chorus once, but with both of us and the changes she did on the spot, the song sounded completely new and cool as shit. She relaxed quickly and had a huge smile on her face that seemed to give her the confidence to close our little duet with a vocal run that was perfectly clean and spot on.

 _Don't go wasting your emotion_ _  
_ _Lay all your love on me_

At the end of our exercise everyone was cheering while I took her hand to rise it over our heads and do a little reverence. I couldn't help but go for a hug too, whispering to her ear how I thought she was the real deal. Then I got down from the main stage and walked to my seat, still feeling the buzz of some real musical chemistry.

"And that's how it's done!" I shouted to the other coaches and let myself fall back on the couch.

"I'm gonna give it to you, that was real smooth" replied Jasper with a smirk.

"Bella, don't let yourself be charmed by the smile" snarked Rosalie back. But Isabella still looked relaxed and confident.

"So, girl… after all of this, who do you choose as your coach?" cut in Tanya, ending the bantering we were doing and starting the electric buzz of anticipation again.

I was nervous. I knew that I'd played my cards right, but I also remembered that, when she asked me what kind of coach I was, it felt like a test. Because she probably knew what she was looking for. And that might not have been me. Even despite our little show. I started anxiously bouncing my knee, waiting for the girl to decide and hopefully choose me. She looked certain and stoic, like she'd made her decision long ago, which wasn't necessarily good. It was a waiting game now.

"I wanted to thank you all for your kind words tonight, and even tough I have to choose a coach, it's going to be a real pleasure to share this season with all of you" she said, gaining a smile from all of us and a cheering from the crowd. She was naturally a sweet girl.

"And… well, I was looking for a coach…" she muttered, a little uncertain again, staring intently at her feet with a small frown. "I was actually looking for a coach like Edward" she said, raising her voice and staring at me with a cute smile. "So… I choose you" she ended shily, pointing at me with the hand that wasn't holding the mic. I felt the pressure of my lungs go out in one long exhale and sprinted from my seat.

I went to hold her hand and help her get down from the stage while bringing her into my arms with a strong hold.

"Thank you, honestly. I'm not gonna fail you" I whispered in her ear excitedly.

"I know that you won't, you proved it" she replied, leaving my arms with a grin of her own. "I don't know how you knew, but I really needed that" she breathed out, taking both of my hands in hers for a second and letting them go. I wasn't finished with her yet, so I placed my hand on her back and started walking her through the stage to the room where family members waited, while everyone on set was still clapping.

"I had the feeling that if I just pushed you a little, you'd do something amazing like what you just did" I answered with a grin. "You're an expert already. You know what you're doing. With the potential to learn, of course, but an expert nonetheless. You _are_ able to be a music star… what you need to figure out is if you want to, am I right?" I directed the last bit to her, waiting to see if I was right or wrong about my guess.

She looked at me seriously for a couple of seconds, still walking to where her family was, and then a serene smile took over her face. "Thank you", she said, while I opened the door to the room across from us.

I entered right behind her and spotted two men and a woman. One of the men was Ben, the host of the show. The other one, though, was a middle-aged man with a severe face and a moustache straight out from a 70's porn film. I tried not to laugh at him, but I couldn't avoid smiling a little. The woman was beautiful and could have been Bella's mother if it wasn't because they looked nothing alike. She had olive skin and dark hair and eyes, but their faces didn't match at all. I noticed that there weren't any boyfriend or friends with the family but I dismissed the thought quickly. They were from Seattle so maybe they couldn't make it today.

I needed to get going and return to my seat, so I introduced myself quickly with a handshake to both Charlie and Sue, and gave a last hug to Bella before running back to the studio. I entered the stage with a little spring in my step, shouting to everyone "I just know I'm gonna win this season now!".

"Don't you think you're rushing a little bit here?" replied Jasper, annoyed.

"No, I truly don't" I said with a smirk on my face.

"Well… we'll see".

I just smiled back, feeling the excitement give out to a quite anticipation. One other contestant and my team was ready. I had a couple of great artists already and Bella. Everything was looking good, and I had the strong feeling that this season was going to feel different. It already felt like more.

*C*

 **So, what do you think?**

 **Did you like the chapter?**

 **Did you like Bella? This was a first impression on her, so we will learn a little bit more about her story and her personality along the way.**

 **I'm hoping to hear from you! :) see you soon.**

 **PD. Remember I'm receiving song suggestions if you want to send one.**


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